Art & Galleries
Teresa Elliott's unusual muse
by AMY PALLAS
Young Longhorn Bull, oil, 36 x 60.
Teresa Elliott has an unusual muse: cows. “When I was a child, every summer we journeyed down to Texas where my grandfather raised Black Angus cattle,” Elliott says. “I remember draping myself over the gate and being so relaxed—it was a physical release being around them.” As an adult, Elliott’s innate connection to cattle was reawakened when she discovered a herd of longhorns grazing in the midst of the sprawling Dallas suburbs. Unable to resist their lure, Elliott found herself climbing the fence and taking snapshots that she would later use as a reference for her paintings.
While the subject matter pulls at the heartstrings of all Westerners, it’s Elliott’s technical skill, composition, and color sensibility that move these bovines into a realm of fine art that is widely appreciated. In her painting Young Longhorn Bull, Elliott creates a series of horizontal lines through the clouds, the bull’s horns, the shadows, and the distant mountains. The prominence and directionality of these lines convince the viewer that this bull is focused, determined, and—if he charges—deadly. Then there’s Rusty Medicine, a painting using a monochromatic color scheme to portray a calm, reserved bovine. By limiting her palette to an earthy, serene color, Elliott controls the mood of the painting to convey the tranquil personality of the calf.
“Being a successful artist isn’t as much about your talent as your drive,” Elliott says. “You can learn the skills.” She speaks from experience. After high school, Elliott worked for the Six Flags St. Louis theme park in Missouri creating “quick draws” of visitors. The job allowed her to hone her drawing skills and pay for her first year’s tuition to the University of Kansas (she is still grateful to her father for sponsoring the rest) where she studied fine art and photography. Years later, Elliott continues to create new and inspiring art as a result of her passion and drive. Keep an eye on her portfolio as she expands her color palette, plays with textures, and even considers adding a person or two to her paintings. Or she may just keep to the cows.
SHOWS: Western Visions, Sept. 16–17, National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson, Wyoming, www.westernvisions.org.
Visit www.teresa-elliott.com for additional dates.
GALLERIES: • Astoria Fine Art, Jackson, Wyoming, 307.733.4016, www.astoriafineart.com.
• Insight Gallery, Fredericksburg, Texas, 888.997.9921, www.insightgallery.com.
Issue: June 2010
